Energy efficiency news.
Rebate updates, policy changes, and technology developments — aggregated from 50+ sources, AI-enriched, and scored for relevance.
California governor signs bills approving virtual power plants
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed two laws, SB 913 and SB 905, meant to use home batteries and other equipment to hold down electricity bills instead of having utilities spend more on new infrastructure. More than 300,000 California homes already have solar-charged batteries, with about 2,000 more added each week. These laws aim to turn that equipment into a "virtual power plant," a network of home batteries and devices that utilities can draw on together during peak demand, in place of building new power lines or plants. SB 913 removes restrictions that kept home batteries from fully competing in the wholesale energy market. It directs state regulators to figure out how to value batteries that send power back to the grid during times of high demand, so homeowners with batteries can get credit for the full amount of energy their systems can supply, not just the energy they save for themselves. SB 905 requires utilities to track and report how much spare capacity exists on each part of the grid, so money isn't spent expanding lines that sit mostly unused. It also opens the door for batteries, electric vehicle chargers, and smart thermostats to help shift electricity use to cheaper, off-peak hours. Neither law changes anything immediately. The real effect on bills depends on how state regulators implement the rules over the next year or so, including a June 2027 deadline for improving how aggregated home batteries qualify for grid reliability programs. If you already have a solar battery, or are considering one, these changes could eventually make it easier to earn value by letting your battery supply power to the grid when it's needed most.
A gas utility is picking up the upfront tab for geothermal
A gas utility in Vermont is covering the biggest upfront cost of switching to geothermal heating and cooling at a new affordable housing development. Vermont Gas (VGS) is partnering with Dandelion Energy to bring geothermal to Riggs Meadow in Hinesburg, Vermont, a project with 44 townhomes and apartments for low- and moderate-income renters and owners. Rather than the housing developers paying for the underground pipes, called ground loops, VGS will pay for and own that infrastructure itself. Dandelion will handle the system design and drilling. Geothermal systems work by circulating fluid through pipes buried underground, where temperatures stay steady year-round. Electric heat pumps use that steady ground temperature to pull heat into buildings in winter and push heat out in summer, which makes the system efficient even through cold winters and hot summers. Four of the development's buildings, with 36 of the homes, are set to get geothermal loops under this plan. Under VGS's broader geothermal program, called Clover Energy, the utility owns and maintains the ground loops while customers own the equipment inside their homes and pay a monthly fee to use the loops. VGS hasn't yet said what that fee will be at Riggs Meadow or what residents can expect to pay for heating and cooling. Drilling is scheduled to start in early 2027, with residents expected to move in by late 2027. For homeowners elsewhere, the model is worth watching: utility-owned ground loops could make geothermal more affordable to install, though availability depends on whether a local utility offers something similar.
North Carolina food bank gets microgrid backup for future storms
A food pantry in Marshall, North Carolina, has installed a solar and battery system that will keep it running during future storms. Beacon of Hope Food Pantry, which came through Hurricane Helene largely unscathed two years ago, now has 56 rooftop solar panels and three batteries that store power from the sun and release it at night or when skies are cloudy. The setup, known as a microgrid, can keep the internet, lights, and heating, cooling, and refrigeration running in the pantry's food distribution area even if the main power grid goes down. The $100,000 project cost the pantry nothing. It was paid for mostly through a $5 million state grant program North Carolina set up last year, using federal infrastructure funds, to build 24 similar microgrids in counties hit by Helene. A philanthropic foundation and a regional development fund also helped cover costs and bridge the gap until federal rebates come through, since nonprofits can wait over a year to get reimbursed for 30% of solar costs. Beacon is one of the first two sites in the program to reach completion, alongside a community center in Lake Lure. State officials say the program, due to wrap up by next summer, is shifting toward smaller, simpler projects like this one because larger microgrids often run into delays tied to federal rules on equipment sourcing. Beyond storm backup, the solar panels are expected to cut Beacon's electric bill by at least a quarter each year, freeing up roughly $5,600 for food assistance.
Newsom finally says yes to virtual power plants
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a group of bills meant to slow the rise in electricity bills, including two that open the door for homeowners to get paid for letting their batteries, EVs, and smart thermostats help the power grid. These setups, called virtual power plants, link up devices people already own so utilities can draw on them during periods of heavy demand, usually hot summer evenings, instead of building more power plants or grid equipment. One bill, SB913, pushes the state to better measure and pay for the value these home devices provide, rather than relying mainly on paying customers to simply turn off air conditioners during peak hours. The other, SB905, requires utilities to start measuring how well they're using their existing grid equipment, a step toward figuring out where batteries, EVs, and similar devices could reduce the need for expensive upgrades. Newsom had vetoed similar virtual-power-plant bills in past years, so supporters called this a surprising shift. The same legislation also limits how much profit utilities can earn on wildfire-prevention spending and requires them to borrow more for grid projects instead of passing all the cost to ratepayers through rates. Other new laws require tracking of utility transmission projects to keep them on schedule and limit certain cost pass-throughs utilities have used to bill customers. None of this creates an immediate program for homeowners to sign up for yet. How much these changes end up lowering bills, or what a device owner might eventually be paid, depends on how state regulators carry out the new rules under California's next governor.
Solar for All grantees seek damages from EPA over ‘devastating’ cuts
Solar for All, a $7 billion federal grant program meant to help fund residential solar for around 900,000 households, mostly in low-income and disadvantaged communities, is set to resume after two federal judges ruled the EPA broke the law when it tried to cancel the program. Judges in Rhode Island and Washington, D.C. both found that the EPA illegally terminated the program in 2025, even though Congress had preserved its funding in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed that July. The program was first announced in 2024 under the Biden administration, then frozen in February 2025 and formally terminated that August. The cancellation forced some of the 60 grant recipients, including nonprofits and state agencies, to cut staff and pause solar project plans that were ready to move forward. Several grantees, including Inclusive Prosperity Capital, the Maryland Clean Energy Center, and groups in Texas and rural America, are now suing the EPA not just to get the funding restored, but to recover damages from the delay and disruption. For homeowners, this mainly matters if you live somewhere that had a Solar for All grant lined up to help cover the cost of rooftop solar. The money is expected to start flowing again, but the EPA has not said when, and it is still weighing whether to appeal the rulings. If you were counting on help through this program, it is worth checking with your state or local grantee for updates on timing, since the legal fight is not fully resolved.
Looking beyond peak: Industry coalition floats new approach to measuring grid utilization
A new industry group called Utilize Coalition is pushing for a standard way to measure how much of the electric grid's capacity actually gets used. The idea is that America's grid currently runs at only about half its total capacity, mostly because the system is built to handle rare peak moments, like the hottest summer afternoon, and sits underused the rest of the time. Research cited in the piece suggests that squeezing just 10% more use out of existing power lines and equipment could save Americans over $100 billion over the next decade, since it would mean less need for costly new infrastructure. This matters to homeowners because it's part of a broader shift toward using flexible technology, such as smart thermostats, home batteries, and electric vehicle chargers, to soak up power during low-demand hours instead of building new poles and wires. Virginia has already passed a law requiring its two major utilities, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power, to submit proposed measurement methods to state regulators by October 15. Other states are reportedly considering similar policies. None of this changes anything about your home right now. There's no new rebate or program tied to this news. It's a policy and measurement debate happening at the utility and regulatory level, aimed at making the grid cheaper to run overall. If it leads to real changes, the practical effect for homeowners would likely show up later, potentially as utility rate structures that reward using power during off-peak hours, which could make things like smart water heaters, EV charging schedules, or home batteries more valuable financially.
Engineering for performance: Turning LEED v5 ambition into technical reality
This is an industry piece about LEED v5, the latest version of a widely used green building certification system, and it focuses on large commercial and institutional construction projects rather than single-family homes. It describes how engineers on these projects are being asked to do more than design for energy efficiency. Under LEED v5, they also have to account for carbon emissions, resilience, indoor air quality, and long-term measured performance, not just plans on paper. Decisions about electrification, renewable energy, refrigerants, and energy recovery systems are now being made earlier in design because they affect a building's performance for decades. The piece also stresses that building systems, heating and cooling, lighting controls, automation, and renewable energy, need to work together rather than being designed separately, and that owners increasingly want ongoing proof of performance through metering and monitoring after a project is finished, not just a certification at completion. There is nothing here about rebates, incentives, or standards that apply to individual houses. The news is really about how the commercial building industry and its engineers are adapting to a new certification framework. It does not describe any new homeowner program, deadline, or dollar figure, so there is no direct action for someone upgrading their own house to take from this. It is more a signal of where green building standards are heading at a large-project scale, which may eventually shape products and practices, but nothing concrete for home energy upgrades yet.
Battery storage paired with 37% of new U.S. residential solar systems in 2025
Home battery storage is becoming a standard part of rooftop solar, not an extra. In 2025, 37% of new residential solar systems in the U.S. included a battery, up from 25% the year before, according to data from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory covering about 450,000 systems installed that year. California remains the biggest driver, with 74% of new residential solar installs there now including storage, up from 58% in 2024. That shift followed the state's move to a new rule for crediting exported solar power, called NEM 3.0, in April 2023, which pays less for electricity sent back to the grid during many hours. That makes storing your own excess solar power for later use more valuable than selling it back. But the trend isn't just a California story anymore: in the rest of the country, the share of new solar systems paired with batteries jumped from 7% to 17% in a single year, with especially sharp growth in Arizona and Texas. Installers point to similar changes in net-metering rules and time-of-use electricity rates in other states as a likely reason. The size of a typical home battery hasn't changed much, holding at 13.5 kWh of storage capacity. But newer batteries, including Tesla's Powerwall 3, can deliver power much faster, with median output nearly doubling to 11.4 kW. If you're considering solar, it's worth checking how your state's export rates and time-of-use pricing affect whether adding a battery makes financial sense for your home.
AI and Manufacturing: How HVAC OEMs are Using AI
Major heating and cooling manufacturers, including Daikin, Carrier, and Trane, are building artificial intelligence into both their products and their internal operations. Trane's AI Control system adjusts building equipment in real time and can cut HVAC energy use by up to 25 percent, though this has mainly been used in commercial buildings so far. Carrier has rolled out AI tools, including a feature called "Tell Me More," that help building staff get faster answers about equipment issues. These systems work in the background, learning patterns and making adjustments without someone having to manually tune the equipment. For homeowners, the more relevant changes may show up in service rather than the equipment itself. Carrier said AI is already cutting down call times and resolving many customer service questions without a person getting involved. Looking ahead, the company expects AI to help contractors prioritize service calls, diagnose problems remotely, and catch issues before they become breakdowns, meaning fewer surprise repair calls for homeowners. All three manufacturers stressed that people still review and oversee the AI's work, since the technology can make mistakes or give outdated answers if not checked. None of this points to a specific new product or rebate you need to act on right now. It mainly signals that the equipment and support behind your heating and cooling system are likely to get smarter and more proactive over time, with technicians potentially catching problems earlier.
help please- spray foam closed cell insulation disaster
A homeowner on the South Shore of Massachusetts is dealing with a spray foam insulation job gone wrong. Closed-cell spray foam (a dense, plastic-like foam insulation sprayed into attics and walls) was installed in their attic, and more than 35 days later it's still releasing a strong chemical smell. The installer tried blaming a separate fireproof coating, removed and replaced it, but the odor persisted. The family has been out of their house for over a month, through a range of fall temperatures, and say air quality tests show pollutant levels in a "moderate but elevated" range. They're now asking the installer to remove the foam entirely. Responses from building science forum members offered a blunt diagnosis: a bad chemical mix during spraying can leave foam that never fully cures, meaning it keeps off-gassing indefinitely. In cases like this, patching or adding more product rarely fixes the problem — full removal and specialized cleaning is usually the only real option. One commenter also noted that homeowners in this situation sometimes need to pursue legal action to get the cost of removal and cleanup covered. For homeowners considering spray foam insulation, the case is a reminder that improper mixing or application during installation can turn into a serious, long-lasting indoor air quality problem rather than a quick fix. If you ever notice a chemical smell lingering well beyond the first few days after a spray foam job, it's worth treating that as a sign something went wrong with the installation itself.
Building Resilience – Part 2: The Role of the Building Enclosure
A video tour walks through a small accessory dwelling unit built to a passive house standard, a construction approach that uses heavy insulation and airtight sealing so a home needs very little energy to heat or cool. The building combines energy efficiency with features meant to keep people safe and comfortable through wildfires, earthquakes, and power outages. Details include mineral-fiber (Rockwool) insulation in the roof for fire resistance, blocking inside stud walls so sheathing can be nailed securely for earthquake strength, and continuous exterior insulation that prevents moisture problems and keeps the walls fire-resistant. Triple-pane windows add comfort but also buy time during a fire, since an outer pane can break without shattering the inner ones. Outside, metal flashing and a stainless-steel screen keep embers from catching on ledges or sneaking into wall cavities, vents use small 1/8-inch openings to block sparks, and the roof is metal to resist ignition and to collect rainwater for three 5,000-gallon storage tanks. A 6.4 kilowatt solar array charges a battery, and the house also stores heating and cooling energy as hot or cold water in a tank connected to an air-to-water heat pump, letting the home stay warm or cool for a while even if the grid goes down. The builder describes this as "passive survivability": even with no power, the insulation and airtight construction alone are enough to keep the indoor temperature from dropping below about 52°F in winter. He notes homeowners can choose how far to take these features, from bare survivability to full comfort during an outage, depending on budget and the risks where they live.
New Trane Heat Pumps Deliver Full Capacity at 5°F
Trane Technologies has released its first residential cold-climate heat pumps: the Trane 20 TruComfort with WeatherGuard and the American Standard AccuComfort Platinum 20 with All Weather. A heat pump moves heat to warm or cool your home instead of burning fuel, but older models lose heating power as it gets colder outside. These new units are built to hold 100% of their heating capacity down to 5°F and keep running in temperatures as low as -20°F, which means less reliance on backup electric heat strips during cold snaps. They're also designed to work alongside a furnace in homes that want a dual-fuel setup. The systems come in 3, 4, and 5 ton sizes and use a variable-speed compressor that adjusts output in tiny increments for steadier temperatures and quieter operation. They can also cool in outdoor temperatures up to 115°F. Trane says the units beat the performance targets set by the U.S. Department of Energy's Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge, and were tested for nearly 18,000 hours in real homes across Minnesota, Montana, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Texas, including conditions down to -21°F. The new heat pumps are available this fall and pair with Trane Link smart thermostats and indoor air quality equipment for zoned, connected control. They come with a limited warranty covering the compressor for up to 12 years and the outdoor coil and other parts for up to 10 years if you register the equipment. For anyone in a cold climate weighing a switch to an all-electric heating system, this adds another option built specifically for harsh winters.
California just made it legal to turn balconies into tiny power plants
California has legalized "balcony solar," also called plug-in solar: small, cheap solar panel setups that plug directly into a regular outlet instead of requiring a full rooftop installation. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill removing the main obstacle to using this technology in the state — the requirement to negotiate a formal interconnection agreement with your utility, like PG&E. California joins states including Utah and Maine in allowing plug-in solar. These systems won't replace a full rooftop array, but they offset some of a home's electricity use, which can lower your bill. A basic setup costs a few hundred dollars, and some homeowners could recover that cost in savings within about four years — faster in states with higher electricity costs. Because the panels plug into an existing outlet, there's no need for the electrical upgrades or installation work that rooftop solar often requires, which also makes the technology an option for renters with a balcony or backyard, not just homeowners. Beyond individual savings, panels like these can help ease strain on the broader electrical grid, since sunny days often coincide with high air-conditioning demand. If you don't live in California, your state may not yet allow plug-in solar without a utility agreement — supporters of the bill expect California's move to push other states to consider similar rules. It's worth checking what your own state currently permits, and whether any rebates exist, before assuming you can simply buy a kit and plug it in.
Does Radiant Cooling in a Humid Climate Make Sense?
Radiant cooling works differently from a standard air conditioner. Instead of blowing cool air, it circulates chilled water through panels or slabs, and your body loses heat directly to those cool surfaces. It can feel very comfortable, skips bulky ductwork, and avoids the mold and grime that sometimes build up in air conditioner coils and drain pans. The worry in humid climates has always been condensation, since a surface cooler than the dew point of the air will start to sweat. That worry is real but manageable. In humid areas, the cooling surfaces need to stay above about 65°F to avoid dropping below the dew point of typical indoor air, and the home still needs a separate dehumidifier running alongside the radiant system. Without one, a humid-climate house cooled only by radiant panels would grow mold and get slippery, sweating floors. With dehumidification handling moisture and the panels handling temperature, the combination can cool a new, energy-code-level home just fine. The catch is cost. Installed radiant panel systems can run from roughly $10 to $40-plus per square foot of floor area, meaning a 2,500-square-foot house could cost anywhere from about $25,000 to $100,000, on top of the dehumidifier. That is well above typical heat pump or air conditioner pricing, though it can be closer to the cost of a high-end inverter heat pump system. For most homeowners in humid regions, this points to a system better suited to new construction or major renovations than a typical cooling upgrade, and finding an installer experienced with hydronic systems in humid climates can be difficult.
Strongest El Niño on Record Triggers California State of Emergency and Is Already Affecting Global Weather Patterns
Scientists say this is now the strongest El Niño on record, a natural ocean-warming cycle in the Pacific that reshapes weather worldwide. California has declared a state of emergency, directing state agencies to prepare roads, infrastructure, and emergency supplies ahead of expected flooding, landslides, and coastal erosion this winter. Sea levels off California could rise by a foot in the coming days due to a surge of warm water called a Kelvin wave, on top of 8 inches of rise already caused by climate change. High tides around Thanksgiving and Christmas, combined with storms, could push coastal flooding higher still. For homeowners in California and the broader Southwest, seasonal forecasts point to an above-average rainy winter, which could ease ongoing drought but also raises the risk of flooding and landslides similar to the severe El Niño winter of 1998. That said, El Niño's effects aren't guaranteed — during the last major event in 2015-2016, California actually saw a slightly drier winter than usual. If you're in a flood-prone or coastal area, it's worth knowing your home's exposure to these risks this season. Beyond the West Coast, this El Niño is shifting rainfall patterns globally, contributing to drought in places like Indonesia, parts of Brazil, and southern Africa, while increasing rain in South America. It's also linked to a quiet Atlantic hurricane season and a busier one in the East Pacific. Scientists expect global food prices and heat-related health risks to rise over the next year as the event releases stored ocean heat into the atmosphere.
PJM’s ‘unexpected twist’ is a win for distributed capacity
This is a story about grid policy, not something that changes what a homeowner can do right now, but it touches the systems that keep power reliable and affordable in parts of the country served by PJM, the grid operator covering a large swath of the mid-Atlantic and Midwest. PJM has been trying to figure out how to get enough electricity supply lined up as data centers drive up demand. Regulators just approved the broad outline of PJM's plan, which lets big power users sign direct deals for backup supply instead of risking being cut off during grid stress, with any remaining gap filled through an auction. But federal regulators delayed that auction by five months, saying PJM hadn't proven that data centers, not regular customers, would actually pay for the extra capacity being bought. The delay gives more time for "virtual power plants," networks of home batteries, smart thermostats, and other small devices that can be bundled together and sold to the grid as backup capacity, to strike deals directly with data centers before the auction happens. PJM has also loosened some rules so these distributed setups, including batteries added to homes that already take part in demand response (programs that pay people to cut power use at peak times), count more easily toward this capacity. None of this requires anything from homeowners yet. But if you already have a smart thermostat, battery, or other device enrolled in a demand response or similar program, these are the kinds of regulatory shifts that affect whether and how much your setup can earn.
U.S. exports of propane reached records in the first half of 2026
U.S. exports of propane hit record levels in the first half of 2026, averaging 2 million barrels a day, up 11% from the same period in 2025. Exports peaked at 2.1 million barrels a day in April, driven by rising U.S. production and growing demand from India and other South Asian countries, along with buyers looking to replace supplies disrupted from the Middle East. Propane is a byproduct of natural gas processing and oil refining, and it's used not just for home heating but also in making plastics. More U.S. production has kept prices here lower than in Asia, making American propane attractive to overseas buyers. Trade patterns have shifted, though. China, once a major buyer, cut back sharply after imposing tariffs on U.S. propane starting in 2025. Those tariffs spiked as high as 125% before settling at 10%, and U.S. exports to China fell 19% in the first half of 2026 compared with a year earlier. A terminal expansion project in Texas, expected to finish this year, will add more export capacity, but shipping bottlenecks remain a concern. Drought tied to El Niño has lowered water levels at the Panama Canal, limiting how many ships can pass through and raising costs for propane shipped that way. For homeowners who heat with propane, especially in rural areas without natural gas service, this growing export demand is worth watching. When more U.S. propane goes overseas, it can tighten domestic supply and put upward pressure on local prices, particularly heading into the winter heating season.
California gives the green light to balcony solar
California has signed three new energy laws that could matter for homeowners, especially those who cannot install rooftop solar. The biggest change for individual households is a new law legalizing "balcony solar" — small plug-in solar panels that sit on a balcony, patio, or backyard and plug directly into a regular household outlet to offset some electricity use. Systems up to 1,200 watts are allowed, as long as they meet electrical codes, carry safety certification (such as UL), and include protection so they don't send power into the grid during an outage. Utilities can no longer demand an interconnection agreement, advance approval, or fees for these systems — just a simple online notice with the address, make, model, and size. This utility exemption is set to expire January 1, 2030. The other two laws focus on the broader grid rather than individual homes. One directs regulators to make it easier for networks of home batteries, EVs, and smart thermostats to count toward utilities' power-reliability requirements, giving these "virtual power plants" more of a formal role by June 30, 2028. The other requires large utilities to publish data on how full their local grids are and to consider cheaper fixes, like batteries or shifting usage to off-peak hours, before building new infrastructure — with the stated goal of slowing bill increases. None of this requires homeowners to do anything right away, but it opens a lower-cost, lower-hassle path to small-scale solar for people who could not previously install it, and it could eventually affect utility bills depending on how regulators and utilities carry out the new rules.
Senate introduces landmark permitting bill as industry data and environmental groups clash over reforms
A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill called the American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, aimed at speeding up how the country approves power lines, power plants, and other energy projects. It would change federal rules under the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act, with the goal of cutting delays in building new electric transmission lines and connecting new power generation to the grid. Supporters point to research showing permitting delays are already raising costs. A recent industry survey found that federal permitting problems touched nearly all clean energy projects that got delayed or canceled over the past year, adding millions of dollars to typical project costs and raising consumer power bills by as much as 5 percent. Backers of the bill, including grid analysts, argue that faster, more predictable permitting for transmission lines and solar and battery projects could lower electricity bills over time by making it easier to access cheaper power sources. Not everyone agrees. Environmental law groups, including the Southern Environmental Law Center, say the bill would make it easier to fast-track oil, gas, and pipeline projects while weakening protections communities rely on to challenge harmful projects or protect local water supplies. They argue it would also limit the time communities have to contest permits in court and reduce the environmental data used to protect endangered species. The bill now heads to committee, where lawmakers will debate how to balance faster grid buildout against environmental review and public input. For homeowners, the bill itself doesn't change anything yet, but if passed, it could eventually affect electricity prices and how new power infrastructure gets built near your area.
Here are all the jobs and investment lost from republican attacks on manufacturing
A nonprofit group called the BlueGreen Alliance has built an online tool tracking clean energy manufacturing projects that have lost funding, been delayed, or been cancelled since Congress passed a 2025 bill that cut federal support for US manufacturing. The group's tally covers 3,446 projects nationwide, sorted into categories like lost tax credits, awards at risk or delayed, cancelled awards, and stalled or cancelled projects outright. Each entry can be clicked to see the specific jobs and investment dollars tied to it. These projects fall under the "green energy economy" umbrella, meaning things like battery plants, solar manufacturing, and other clean energy supply chain investments that were originally spurred by federal incentives passed under the Biden administration. The 2025 legislation rolled back much of that support, and with it, the manufacturing growth tied to those incentives. For homeowners, this is less about a direct rebate or incentive change and more about the bigger picture: the pipeline of US-made clean energy equipment, including things like batteries and solar components, is shrinking as projects move overseas. The tool itself does not list a specific home-related rebate or deadline, but it does let you search by location to see whether any manufacturing projects near you have been affected. You can look up your area through BlueGreen Alliance's interactive map if you want to see what's happened in your state.
U.S. small-scale solar adds 1.6 GW in Q2 2026 as fossil fuel capacity surges
Small-scale solar — the rooftop and local systems installed on homes, businesses, and communities — added almost 1.6 gigawatts of new capacity in the second quarter of 2026, according to a report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Combined with large utility-scale solar farms, solar made up 55% of all new electricity generating capacity added to the U.S. grid in that quarter. That share is smaller than in recent quarters, mainly because fossil fuel power plants came online at a faster pace, with Q2 seeing more new fossil capacity than any quarter in the past two years. Even so, small-scale solar kept growing steadily, partly because home and local installations avoid the long waits that big power plants face when connecting to the grid. Alongside solar, battery storage paired with these systems grew quickly too, with more than 2.5 gigawatt-hours of storage added at homes, businesses, and community sites in the quarter. Much of this pairing is tied to changes in net metering, the billing system that credits solar owners for power sent back to the grid. Many of these policies now reward homeowners more for using and storing their own solar power rather than exporting it, making battery storage a more attractive add-on for anyone considering solar. For homeowners weighing a solar installation, the trend suggests that pairing panels with a home battery is becoming more common and, in many areas, more financially worthwhile under current net metering rules. Rules vary by state, so it is worth checking what applies where you live.
XPS around windows?
A homeowner installing new triple-pane windows ran into an unusually wide gap — up to 2 inches in places — between the window frames and the rough openings in the wall. That gap matters because it has to be sealed properly to keep the home airtight; gaps like this are where outside air can leak in and out, driving up heating and cooling costs. The homeowner had already stuffed the gaps with mineral wool insulation (a fire-safe alternative to spray foam) and was looking for an affordable way to seal the inside edge. They asked whether rigid foam board (XPS) left over from a basement project, combined with a flexible sealant tape, could work as well as the specialty foam backer rod and tape products usually used for this job, since those products add up in cost on a house with many large windows. This is a hands-on construction question posted to an online builder forum, not a product or policy announcement, so there is no deadline or rebate tied to it. For most homeowners, the takeaway is simply a reminder that gaps around new windows need a continuous air seal, not just insulation stuffed into the opening — insulation alone does not stop air movement the way a taped or sealed barrier does. If you are planning a window replacement, it is worth asking whoever does the installation how they plan to air seal the rough opening, since larger-than-expected gaps are apparently not unusual and can need extra material and labor to handle correctly.
U.S. Electricity Use For Electric Vehicles Increasing At A Slower Pace In 2026
Electric vehicles are still pulling more power from the grid, but growth has slowed down. Federal data show electricity use by EVs rose 8% in the first half of 2026 compared with the last half of 2025, well below the 13–24% jumps seen in earlier years. Total EV electricity use has more than doubled since early 2023, reaching nearly 14 billion kilowatt-hours in the first half of this year. The slowdown follows a drop in EV sales after federal tax credits for new electric vehicles expired on September 30, 2025. Those credits had lowered the purchase or lease cost of new EVs. With them gone, new EV sales fell 19% in the first half of 2026 compared with the second half of 2025. EVs still make up a small slice of vehicles on the road overall — about 2% of registered light-duty vehicles as of 2024, the most recent year with full data. For homeowners, this mostly matters if you're weighing an EV purchase or already own one and are thinking about home charging. It signals that federal purchase incentives for new EVs are no longer available, which may affect the math on buying one and installing a charger at home. It doesn't change anything about existing EVs or home charging setups — just the pace at which new ones are joining the grid.
Senate permitting bill would expand federal role in transmission siting
A bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill in Congress that would change how new power lines get approved. Right now, states mostly decide where big transmission lines can be built, and those decisions can take years. The bill would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), a federal agency, more power to approve transmission projects itself when it decides a project serves the public interest. It would also make it harder for the government to revoke permits already granted for energy projects, and it would end a rule that let the utility already serving an area have first dibs on building new regional power lines. For homeowners, this is mostly background policy rather than something to act on right away. But it matters over time because faster, more coordinated transmission planning could affect how quickly new power sources, including wind and solar, get connected to the grid, and how reliable and affordable your electricity is. The bill also says that costs for new transmission lines needed to serve large data centers should fall on those data centers and their owners, not get spread across regular household electric bills. The bill still needs to pass the Senate, with lawmakers expected to debate changes to it when they reconvene in November. It is not law yet, and there is no rebate, program, or deadline here for homeowners to respond to. It is worth watching mainly because it could shape how reliable and how expensive the power grid is in the years ahead.
Ford’s $30,000 Fathom EV pickup production launch faces uncertainty [Update]
Ford's plans for the Fathom, an electric pickup expected to start at $28,350, are facing some uncertainty. Ford CEO Jim Farley said the automaker hasn't yet figured out how to build the truck "at scale, at cost, on time," pointing to tough competition from Chinese EV maker BYD, whose batteries reportedly have about a 20% cost advantage over Fathom's. Ford says it has redesigned the motors, gearboxes, and inverters to allow for a smaller, cheaper battery pack, but Farley acknowledged the mass-production plan isn't locked down yet. Despite the uncertain comments, a Ford spokesperson has since said there's no change to the truck's 2027 launch timeline. The company is putting $5 billion into its Louisville, Kentucky assembly plant and a Michigan battery plant to get ready for production, and reports suggest Ford hopes to sell 100,000 Fathoms in the first year. For homeowners interested in EVs, the Fathom is worth watching because of its price point, well below most electric trucks on the market today. It's expected to offer more interior space than a Toyota RAV4, a large touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Ford's BlueCruise driver-assist system, a NACS charging port (compatible with Tesla Superchargers), and bidirectional charging, meaning the truck could potentially power a home during an outage. Nothing about the launch date has changed yet, but the production challenges Farley described suggest the timeline could still shift.
Real-world supermarket cuts energy use by 60%
A test supermarket in Denmark is showing how much energy a store can save by combining existing technologies rather than relying on any single breakthrough. The Danfoss Smart Store in Nordborg, run as a real working Coop 365 supermarket, has cut net energy use by 60% compared to typical stores, three years after opening in 2023. The savings come from linking several systems together: CO₂-based refrigeration (a more climate-friendly alternative to standard refrigerants), heat recovery that captures warmth from the refrigeration equipment and reuses it for heating and hot water, solar panels, and cloud-based monitoring that tracks energy use. So far the store has reused 130,000 kWh of recovered heat for its own heating and sent another 50,000 kWh to the local district heating network, with the heat-recovery equipment paying for itself in about three years. Solar panels covered 38% of the store's electricity needs in 2025, producing 100,000 kWh, a quarter of which went back to the power grid. While this is a commercial project, not a home one, it points to a trend worth watching: heat recovery and efficient refrigeration, paired with solar and smart controls, can meaningfully cut both energy bills and emissions when the pieces work together. Homeowners won't be installing CO₂ refrigeration systems, but the same basic idea, pairing efficient heating equipment with solar power and monitoring, is increasingly available at residential scale through heat pumps and home energy management tools.
Newsom signs California plug-in solar bill, establishing the nation’s largest balcony solar market
California now allows plug-in solar panels, sometimes called balcony solar, under a new law signed by Governor Newsom. Senate Bill 868, the "Plug In the Sun Act," takes effect January 1, 2027. It defines these as small solar devices that plug directly into a wall outlet to offset a home's electricity use. A single home can have up to 1,200 watts of these devices, and they must be certified by UL or an equivalent testing lab. Utilities cannot charge fees for them or require permission to install and use them, and the devices are exempt from the usual utility interconnection paperwork that applies to rooftop solar systems. This matters most for renters and condo owners, who often cannot install traditional rooftop solar but can plug a portable panel into a balcony or patio outlet. California joins Utah and several other states that have passed similar laws over the past two years, and New York has a similar bill awaiting the governor's signature. Companies like EcoFlow and the nonprofit Bright Saver already sell these kits and expect California's size and sunny climate to make it the country's biggest market for the technology. One catch: lawmakers added a provision that lets the new rules expire in 2030 unless renewed. Advocates say the law passed unusually fast, but utilities pushed for this sunset clause as a condition of support. Supporters of the law hope that by 2030, enough Californians will be using these devices that lawmakers won't want to roll back the rules. For now, if you rent or live in a condo without access to full rooftop solar, this law opens a simpler, cheaper way to generate some of your own power starting next year.
Under Trump, California’s clean car rules are essential — and vulnerable
The Trump administration has rolled back federal fuel-efficiency rules for cars, and Congress already removed the penalties automakers faced for missing those targets. That leaves California as the main force still pushing carmakers toward more efficient vehicles. Because of a decades-old exemption tied to its early smog problems, California can set its own tailpipe emissions standards, which function much like fuel-efficiency rules. Nineteen other states plus Washington, D.C. have adopted California's standards, and many automakers build cars to meet them nationwide rather than make separate versions for different states. The Trump administration has been trying to strip California of this authority. Congress voted to block the state's plan to phase out new gas-powered car sales by 2035, and a separate effort targeted California's older emissions standards, though a federal judge blocked that move in September. Legal experts say California has a reasonably strong case in court, partly because government watchdogs called the congressional maneuver against it unlawful. A separate, bigger lawsuit could decide whether California keeps any special authority to regulate emissions at all—a case that may eventually reach the Supreme Court. For now, none of this changes what's available to individual homeowners, since it concerns car emissions rules rather than home energy programs. But it matters for anyone weighing a vehicle purchase: hybrid sales have been rising, automakers remain divided on how fast to keep building electric vehicles, and the rules shaping efficiency and EV availability are still being fought out in court rather than settled.
The surprising allies backing Boulder’s climate case before the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is hearing a major climate case that could shape who pays for damage from heat, wildfires, floods, and drought. Boulder, Colorado sued Suncor and Exxon Mobil in 2018, seeking damages for the rising costs of adapting to climate change. The oil companies want the case thrown out before it goes to trial, arguing federal law and the Constitution block states from hearing such claims. The court will first decide whether it can even step in at this early stage, before considering the companies' arguments. Support for each side has split in surprising ways. Rio Blanco County, Colorado, joined oil companies in the case, prompting local ranchers to push back. They argue worsening wildfires, drought, and heat are driving ranching families toward bankruptcy, forcing them to haul in water and feed or sell off land and livestock, while local governments struggle to cover the costs of disaster relief and recovery. Some conservative legal scholars, including two former Republican EPA administrators, have also broken from the oil industry, saying nothing in federal law clearly stops Boulder's lawsuit from proceeding in state court. A notable development this week: Justice Samuel Alito, who holds oil company investments, recused himself, making it harder for the companies to win a majority on the court. The case won't directly change homeowner costs or rebates, but its outcome could affect whether local governments and residents elsewhere can sue oil companies for climate-related damages, and who ultimately bears the financial burden of adapting to a hotter, more disaster-prone climate.
New EV Charging Checklist: Style, Comfort, And A Cool Place To Hang
Public charging for electric vehicles is getting a makeover, which matters if you're weighing an EV purchase but don't have reliable charging at home. IONNA, a charging network backed by BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Toyota, has built out its "Rechargery" stations, which pair fast chargers with sheltered waiting areas, Wi-Fi, snacks, and restrooms rather than the bare-bones setups common at older charging spots. As of March, the network had nearly 1,000 charging bays running at more than 100 sites, with thousands more under contract, including a new partnership putting chargers at over 350 Circle K convenience stores. The network also ranked first in J.D. Power's 2026 public charging satisfaction study. Tesla's Supercharger network keeps expanding too, aided by a new foldable charging station design that's cheaper and faster to install. Meanwhile, EVgo has introduced stations that can deliver up to 750 kilowatts of power and let drivers plug into any available port, since the system automatically adjusts charging speed to match the vehicle, rather than requiring you to find a specific power level. For homeowners, the takeaway is less about your own property and more about convenience away from it: if you live somewhere without easy home charging, or want backup options on road trips, more reliable, comfortable public charging stations are showing up nationwide, including new approaches like lamppost-mounted chargers and curbside stations aimed at dense city neighborhoods.
California is 10th state to legalize balcony solar
California has legalized "balcony solar," small plug-in solar panel systems that renters and homeowners can buy and plug directly into an outlet, without going through the usual utility approval process (called an interconnection agreement). The new law, SB 868, or the Plug and Play Solar Act, makes California the tenth state to allow these systems. Until now, the cost and delay of getting utility sign-off has kept many people from installing them, even though the panels themselves are simple to set up. The law sets safety rules: systems must be certified by UL or an equivalent testing lab, must automatically shut off within seconds if the power grid goes down, and are capped at 1,200 watts. That size limit means these panels work best as a way to offset part of your electric bill, not replace a full rooftop solar system. One thing to know: the exemption from needing utility approval is set to expire on January 1, 2030, unless lawmakers extend it, so the law gives the market a four-year window to prove itself. For homeowners and renters in California, this means you may soon be able to buy a small solar panel system from a retailer and plug it in yourself, similar to a major appliance, without hiring an electrician or filing utility paperwork first. If you live outside California, it's worth checking whether your state is one of the nine others that already allow balcony solar, since rules and size limits vary by state.
Toyota bucks the trend as new EVs drive growth
Toyota's electric vehicle lineup had a strong third quarter, bucking a broader slowdown in EV sales. Toyota and Lexus together sold 633,233 vehicles in the US last quarter, up slightly from a year earlier. The company now offers several EV options: the Toyota bZ (its best-selling EV, starting around $35,000), the C-HR, and the bZ Woodland, plus the Lexus RZ and a new Lexus ES available as both a hybrid and an EV. Through September, the bZ had sold nearly 25,000 units for the year, putting it ahead of the Chevy Equinox EV, which had been GM's top-selling EV. This matters for anyone shopping for an electric vehicle because it means more affordable EV choices are reaching dealer lots, not fewer. The $35,000 starting price for the bZ puts it in the same range as other budget-friendly EVs like the Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Toyota also plans to add a three-row electric SUV, the Lexus TZ, later this year, and a Toyota Highlander EV sometime in 2027, so the lineup of options will keep growing. Separately, Toyota opened a new battery research facility in Michigan aimed at improving batteries for its future vehicles. This is a sign the company is investing further in EV technology rather than pulling back, which could mean better range or performance in upcoming models. None of this ties to a specific rebate or incentive right now, since the $7,500 federal EV tax credit expired at the end of September last year.
US Startup Adds Another 2,000 Electric Trucks To FedEx Delivery Fleet
FedEx has ordered 2,000 electric delivery trucks from the California startup Harbinger, one of the largest single orders for medium- or heavy-duty electric trucks on record. The trucks are Class 5 and 6 vehicles, the size used for local pickup and delivery routes, and FedEx plans to retire an equal number of its diesel trucks as the new ones arrive. Harbinger expects all 2,000 to be on the road by the end of 2027, and estimates the switch will save FedEx more than $800 million in fuel costs over the trucks' 20-year working life. This is part of a broader push toward electric work vehicles as fuel prices have climbed since the federal EV tax credit of up to $7,500 ended a year ago. A trucking group called the Alliance, whose members include Microsoft and PepsiCo, recently ordered 2,500 Class 8 electric trucks from Tesla, which just started production at a new truck factory in Sparks, Nevada. Separately, the Detroit-based company Workhorse announced an order for 200 electric step-vans, built at a plant in Union City, Indiana. None of this involves a program or rebate tied to home energy upgrades. It mainly signals that electric trucks are moving from pilot projects to large fleet orders for delivery and freight companies, which could mean more electric trucks and vans on local roads in the coming years.
What sellers really think about supplier engagement programs
This story is about corporate supply chains, not home energy upgrades, so it has no direct bearing on your house or any rebate program. It looks at how large companies push their suppliers to cut carbon emissions, and what those suppliers actually think of the effort. A survey of more than 180 suppliers found widespread frustration. The biggest complaint, raised by 43 percent of respondents, is that companies ask suppliers to decarbonize but still award contracts based on the lowest price, ignoring the extra cost of greener options. Nearly a quarter said buyers lock in material and sourcing specifications that leave suppliers no room to actually lower emissions. Others said they are buried in sustainability paperwork and questionnaires from different customers, often with no follow-up or feedback. Suppliers also suggested fixes: build carbon costs into pricing, use shared reporting tools instead of each buyer demanding its own format, let suppliers help choose materials, offer longer contracts so the investment pays off, explain how the data they submit gets used, and scale requests to fit smaller businesses rather than treating everyone like a large manufacturer. None of this changes anything about home energy rebates, heat pumps, or weatherization programs available to homeowners. It is a look at the corporate side of climate policy — how big companies and their suppliers negotiate emissions cuts — rather than anything that affects a household's own upgrade plans or budget.
Microinverter manufacturers anticipate a growing balcony solar market
A new kind of small-scale solar is making its way to the US: plug-in, or "balcony," solar. Instead of a full rooftop system wired into your home's electrical panel, these setups use a small device called a microinverter that plugs straight into a regular outlet, similar to a major appliance. The power you generate gets used in your home right away, and any extra flows to the grid. It started in Utah last year after state lawmakers legalized it, and roughly nine or ten states now have similar laws, with more expected. Two manufacturers, APsystems and Hoymiles, already make these microinverters for markets like Germany, where more than a million balcony systems are now in use, and have adapted them for US outlets and safety rules. New safety standards, UL 3700 and UL 1741, cover how these plug-in units interact with your outlets and guard against shock or circuit overload. APsystems' EZ1 can handle two small panels, while Hoymiles' HiFlow line can be chained together for a bigger system. These systems cost much less than a full rooftop installation and produce far less power, but any electricity you make yourself is electricity you are not buying from the utility. Because the systems are just plugged in rather than professionally wired, they could make solar an option for renters or anyone unable to install panels on their roof. Whether your state allows plug-in solar, and what rules apply, depends on where you live.
Chevy Equinox EV sales plunge 92% as Cadillac’s SUVs suddenly take the lead
GM's electric vehicle sales dropped sharply in the third quarter, with the Chevy Equinox EV, once GM's best-selling electric model, falling 92% to just 1,905 units sold compared to more than 25,000 a year earlier. Other GM electric models saw similar declines: the Chevy Blazer EV dropped 84%, the Silverado EV fell 58%, and GMC's Hummer EV and Sierra EV dropped 73% and 51%. Cadillac's electric SUVs held up somewhat better, now making up nearly half of GM's EV sales, though they too declined compared to last year. GM pointed to a smaller overall EV market and discontinued models as reasons for the slide. The end of the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles appears to be a factor, and GM has also cut back production plans for its new, lower-cost Chevy Bolt. Reports indicate GM now plans to build about 75% fewer Bolts than originally intended, with production set to end in early 2027. For homeowners weighing an electric vehicle purchase alongside other home energy upgrades, this signals a shifting and shrinking lineup of affordable GM electric models, with production of the budget-friendly Bolt winding down sooner than planned. Other automakers, including Toyota and Kia, are introducing lower-priced electric vehicles, which may offer more options as GM's offerings become more limited and skew toward pricier Cadillac models.
Long-time Ceres CEO Mindy Lubber to step down in 2027
Mindy Lubber, longtime president and CEO of the sustainability nonprofit Ceres, is stepping down at the end of 2027 after more than two decades in the role. The organization is now looking for her successor. This is industry news rather than something that changes rebates or programs for homeowners right now. Ceres works behind the scenes on climate and energy policy, pushing banks, investors, and companies to factor climate risk into financial decisions. Lubber points to that shift in how capital markets think about climate risk as her biggest achievement during her tenure, which began 23 years ago. Before her planned exit, Lubber says she will spend much of her remaining time focused on how clean energy and lower-carbon materials, like steel and cement, can be used in the ongoing boom in data center construction. She has also been vocal about keeping climate and energy policy from becoming a strictly partisan issue, saying she wants to see more voices across the political spectrum involved in the conversation. None of this changes any specific program, incentive, or deadline that affects your own home energy upgrades. It is simply a leadership change at an organization that works on the policy side of the clean energy transition, with Lubber's departure set for the end of 2027 and a search for her replacement now underway.
NYPA to own 51% of 240-MW solar project with EDF
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) will own 51% of a new 240-megawatt solar project, called Rich Road Solar, in St. Lawrence County, with France's EDF Power Solutions North America holding the rest and overseeing construction. It's the largest solar deal NYPA has done since New York's 2023-24 state budget directed the authority to start developing and owning renewable energy projects, not just the hydroelectric power it historically ran. Construction is expected to start in late 2027, with the project generating power by 2030. For homeowners, this is mostly a sign of how New York is building out its larger electric grid, not something that changes your rebates or bills directly. The project does come with some local benefits: $1.2 million in payments to the host community over its first 10 years, plus $300,000 a year from NYPA, once the project is running, into a state program that gives bill credits to low-income households. Not everyone is sold on the economics. A group called the New York Energy Alliance pointed to NYPA's own 2025 report, which found that new solar projects cost about $100 per megawatt-hour to build but only earn back about $50 per megawatt-hour selling into the state's power market — meaning these projects often need additional support to pencil out. The group argues this raises questions about the long-term cost of similar state-backed renewable projects, which could eventually affect electricity rates statewide.
ERCOT batteries: Boom, bust, or rebound?
Texas has built an enormous amount of grid-scale battery storage over the past few years, going from about 200 megawatts at the start of the decade to roughly 17 gigawatts today, with more on the way. But this rapid buildout has flooded the market. Battery owners made far less money last year than they did in 2023, as so many batteries competing to sell power during price spikes has flattened out the price swings they depend on for profit. Many of these projects, built without long-term contracts, are now losing money, and companies have pulled back on new battery plans in response. At the same time, Texas faces a wave of new electricity demand, largely from data centers, along with aging coal and gas plants that may shut down. That combination could eventually push prices back up and make batteries profitable again, since they can be built and connected to the grid faster than new power plants. The open question is timing: one industry analyst suggested real price volatility, and the stronger returns that come with it, may not return until around 2029 or 2030. Until then, some battery owners are seeking contracts that guarantee minimum payments to ride out the slow period. This is a wholesale electricity market story rather than something that changes home energy costs or rebates directly. But it matters for homeowners in Texas because battery storage and grid reliability affect how stable the power supply is, and whether new demand from data centers strains the grid during heat waves or winter storms.
Kia’s new EV3 is just getting started after 500+ first-month sales
This is car sales news, not a home energy story, but here's what happened: Kia's new electric SUV, the EV3, went on sale in mid-August starting at $29,890 before a $1,495 delivery fee. In its first full month on the market, Kia sold 514 of them in the US. That's a small number compared to Kia's gas-powered models, but the company expects the EV3 to be a major growth driver going forward. Kia had a record September and third quarter overall, selling over 221,000 vehicles in the US from July through September. The EV3 comes in several trims, with driving range from 221 to 321 miles depending on battery and whether it has front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Pricing runs from about $30,000 for the base model up to $45,890 for the top GT trim. It's one of the cheapest electric SUVs sold in the US, alongside the Chevy Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf, though Kia notes it offers longer range, more power, and the only all-wheel-drive option among that group. The EV3 has already sold well overseas, ranking as the third most popular EV in the UK and tenth in Europe during its first year there. For homeowners thinking about an EV purchase, this is mainly a sign that more affordable electric SUV options are reaching US dealers. It doesn't affect home charging equipment, electricity rates, or any home energy rebate programs on its own.
After 9/11, HVAC Industry’s Attention Turned to IAQ
This month marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks, and the collapse of the World Trade Center left a lasting mark on how the heating and cooling industry thinks about indoor air quality (IAQ), the general cleanliness and safety of the air inside buildings. The towers' fall sent up massive clouds of dust and smoke, and toxins kept circulating for months as fires smoldered at Ground Zero. Buildings in the area needed extensive cleaning, including decontamination of their heating and cooling systems, since dust and particulates settled deep inside the equipment and ductwork. In the aftermath, engineering groups like ASHRAE, the industry's main standards organization, began developing guidance for protecting buildings during extraordinary events, drawing on lessons from both 9/11 and the anthrax attacks that followed that fall. Experts at the time acknowledged there was little existing guidance for the scale of contamination they faced, and the industry spent the following year studying the particles and health hazards found at and near Ground Zero. The health toll has turned out to be severe: more than three times as many people have died from exposure-related illness as died in the attacks themselves, and a federal health program now covers over 145,000 people, about two-thirds of whom have been diagnosed with a 9/11-related condition. The episode helped push indoor air quality, including filtration and ventilation standards, into a lasting priority for how buildings are designed and maintained.
Northern Colorado’s largest solar project comes online
A large solar project near Severance, Colorado, just reached full completion. The Black Hollow Sun complex, built by ContourGlobal for the Platte River Power Authority, now generates 324 megawatts of power, making it the largest solar project in northern Colorado. The first phase, 185 megawatts, started running in September 2025, and the second phase has now joined it, finishing a buildout that began after Platte River acquired the project in December 2024. For homeowners, this isn't a rebate or incentive program, it's a utility-scale power plant joining the regional grid. If you get electricity through Platte River Power Authority, which serves several northern Colorado communities, this project adds more locally generated solar power to the mix that supplies your home. The company says the project supports reliability and affordability for the communities it serves, though no specific changes to rates or bills were announced. The project uses single-axis tracking panels from Qcells, a system that tilts panels through the day to follow the sun and capture more energy. During construction, it supported more than 700 jobs at peak, with over 70 percent of workers coming from the U.S., including many from the Denver and Fort Collins areas. This is mainly a story about the region's power supply growing greener and larger, not something that changes what's available for home solar installations or energy upgrades on individual houses.
Despite big Texas solar purchase agreement, Meta still uses lots of gas
Meta has signed a deal to buy power from a new 144-megawatt solar project in Gonzales County, Texas, called Starling Solar. The developer, Apex Clean Energy, says the project wouldn't exist without Meta's financial backing, and it's expected to start generating power next year. But the solar farm is less than half the size of a 366-megawatt gas-fired plant Meta plans to use for a separate data center in El Paso, highlighting how much of the company's growth is still powered by fossil fuels even as it signs clean-energy deals. The timing raises questions, since Meta quietly left RE100, a corporate renewable-energy group it had belonged to for a decade, earlier this year. The company says this has no bearing on its clean-energy goals and points to more than 30 gigawatts of clean energy it has helped bring online nationwide. Energy analysts note that Meta has a real track record of funding wind and solar, but worry the pace of its data center buildout for artificial intelligence is pushing it toward quicker, easier gas power instead. For homeowners, the direct impact is limited, but the broader trend matters: data centers are adding major new demand to state power grids, including in Texas, where electricity use has hit record highs this year. More renewable projects like Starling can help supply, and bring local benefits such as tax revenue and landowner lease payments, but growing gas use for AI data centers could affect grid costs and emissions over time.
How to build a 400 MW AI campus when the utility company says ‘wait’
Utilities take seven to twelve years to build the substations and transmission lines needed for major new power users, but companies building AI data centers plan in months, not years. That mismatch is pushing some developers to skip the wait for grid connections entirely and build their own power systems on site, known as microgrids, using generators, batteries, and solar. This matters to homeowners because of how utility upgrades get paid for. When a utility builds new infrastructure to serve one large data center, that cost often doesn't stay with the company that caused it. Instead, it can get spread across the regional rate base, meaning everyday customers in the area end up covering part of the bill through their own electric rates. Developers choosing to go off-grid or build their own power supply keep those costs on their own side of the meter rather than passing them to neighboring homes and businesses. The piece also argues that these on-site systems only deliver promised savings if they're run with software that predicts conditions and adjusts in real time, rather than older systems that just follow fixed rules. Whether this trend spreads or stays concentrated in major data center hubs will depend on how utilities and regulators respond, but it's worth watching if you live near a planned data center campus, since it could affect both local grid upgrades and who ends up paying for them.
Aptera (SEV) now says it needs $25M to start production, stock drops 15%
Aptera, the startup building a three-wheeled solar electric car, now says it only needs about $25 million to start production, down from the $40 to $45 million it quoted seven weeks earlier. The company's full plan to reach high-volume output of 20,000 vehicles a year has also shrunk, from $180-205 million to roughly $115 million total. Despite the lower price tag, investors weren't reassured: the stock dropped about 15% on the news, leaving the company worth around $69 million. This isn't the first time Aptera has moved its targets. In late 2024 it was seeking $60 million and promising deliveries in 2025. By January 2026, after raising $9 million, it was still promising deliveries this year. Now first deliveries are pushed to early 2027, "subject to financing." The company had just over $10 million in the bank at the end of June and burns $2 to $2.2 million a month, with a formal warning in its financial filings about its ability to keep operating. The product itself remains notable: independent testing found the car's built-in solar panels can generate enough power for about 40 miles of daily driving without plugging in, and Aptera has about 49,300 reservations. But for homeowners who might have reserved one or are considering it as a future solar-powered vehicle, the bigger question is whether the company can actually raise the money to build it.
Ready to Scale: Europe Will Have Enough Cells to Meet Demand and Grow Its Domestic Battery Value Chain Industry
This is European policy news about electric vehicle battery manufacturing, not a direct home energy story, but it touches on the supply chain behind EVs, which many homeowners are also charging at home. A new analysis from the group Transport & Environment finds Europe is on track to produce enough battery cells by 2030 to meet demand from EVs covered under a proposed EU rule called the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA). That rule would require battery components in subsidized EVs to be made in the EU, rather than imported, mainly from China. The sticking point isn't the battery cells themselves but the materials inside them: cathode active materials and their precursors, the chemical building blocks assembled into cells. China currently controls up to 90% of global production capacity for these materials, and European plants making them need long-term supply contracts with EU cell makers to justify investment. The report argues that with strong, predictable demand rules, Europe could build this supply chain domestically instead of depending on Asia. For homeowners, this doesn't change any rebate or program directly, but it is part of the broader push to build a European-made EV and battery industry, separate from the home electrification incentives tied to heat pumps or weatherization in the US. If you're watching EV prices or availability, these battery supply chain decisions in Europe could eventually affect sourcing and cost, though no immediate change to car pricing or availability was mentioned.
Green Business Certification Inc. Celebrates the 2026 Class of LEED Fellows
Green Business Certification Inc. has named its 2026 class of LEED Fellows, the highest professional honor in green building. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a widely used system for rating how sustainable a building is. Twenty-one people from nine countries made this year's list, chosen from more than 220,000 people worldwide who hold LEED credentials. To qualify, candidates need at least 10 years of experience as LEED professionals and a track record of leadership in the field, and they're nominated by peers before a review committee of current Fellows recommends finalists. This news is mostly about recognizing people in the building industry rather than a program or rebate homeowners can use directly. But it's a reminder that LEED credentials and ratings are a real, established measure of green building expertise — something worth knowing if you're evaluating a contractor, architect, or consultant who advertises LEED experience on a renovation or new build. The honorees will be recognized at the USGBC Leadership Awards Celebration on Oct. 21 in New York City, held during the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, described as the largest annual gathering of green building professionals. There's no new funding, deadline, or homeowner program tied to this announcement — it's an industry award, not a rebate or incentive update.
Tesla upgrades China Model 3 with 16-inch screen and V2L, US left out
Tesla just gave Model 3 cars sold in China a bigger 16-inch touchscreen (up from 15.4 inches), a new light gray interior option, and the ability to export up to 2.2 kW of AC power from the car, enough to run small appliances like a hot plate or kettle. That power-export feature, called vehicle-to-load (V2L), works across the whole Model 3 and Model Y lineup in China, though owners need to buy Tesla's adapter to use it. China buyers also got fresh discounts this week, including money off, cut-rate financing, and insurance and paint credits. None of this is coming to the US version of the Model 3. American Model 3s still have the smaller 15.4-inch screen, and the car is left out of Tesla's US vehicle-to-load rollout entirely. When Tesla brought that feature to the US in August, it limited it to the Model Y Premium, Model Y Performance, and Cybertruck, using an $80 adapter rated at 2.4 kW. The whole Model 3 line was skipped. For homeowners thinking about an EV as backup power during an outage or for running equipment at a job site or campsite, this matters mainly as a reminder of what current US Tesla models can and can't do. If you already own or are shopping for a US Model 3, it does not have V2L capability, and Tesla has not said when or if that will change. The China updates reflect intense competition there, not a preview of a US upgrade.
Virtus Solis signs PPA to supply space-based solar power to datacenter developer Brae Systems
Two companies, Virtus Solis Technologies and Brae Systems, have signed a 20-year deal for solar power generated in space. Virtus Solis plans to build solar collectors that orbit the Earth and beam energy down to ground receivers using microwaves. Brae Systems, which builds underwater datacenters for AI computing, has agreed to buy 100 megawatts of this power, with an option to expand to 250 megawatts within three years. None of the hardware exists yet. Both companies see the contract as a step toward building out the technology, not proof it's ready. For context on the technology: Virtus Solis wants to place its solar stations in a looping orbit that keeps them over the Northern Hemisphere for part of each day, with three stations working together to provide round-the-clock power. The ground receivers would look similar to a standard solar farm, let enough sunlight through to grow crops underneath, and could even be built using existing solar panel designs. The company hopes to launch a small test system in orbit within about two years, with a public demonstration of the microwave transmission technology planned for March 2027. The first ground receiving station, paired with a test datacenter, is planned for Illinois. This has no direct bearing on home energy upgrades or rebates. It's a glimpse at an early-stage technology aimed at powering large industrial computing facilities, not homes. If space-based solar eventually becomes part of the regular electric grid, it could someday affect the mix of power utilities draw from, but that is years away and unrelated to any decisions homeowners face now.
E-quipment highlight: 16-tonne Hyundai 160B-X battery-electric forklift
Hyundai has rounded out its lineup of battery-electric forklifts, now covering machines from 4 tonnes up to 18 tonnes. The new additions include the 100B-X, 120B-X, and 130B-X models, along with the heavy-duty 160B-X and 180B-X, which are shipping to customers now. These bigger electric forklifts are aimed at replacing diesel equipment in tough jobs like ports, shipbuilding, construction material handling, and outdoor manufacturing and logistics work. The 160B-X runs on a 618-volt lithium-ion battery system and can operate continuously for more than 7 hours on a single charge, with what Hyundai calls rapid charging capability. It also comes loaded with safety features meant for busy worksites: camera-based pedestrian detection, sensors that adjust for delicate loads, warning lights that project onto the floor to flag the vehicle's path, automatic parking, and a system that shuts down movement if the operator leaves the seat. This is industrial equipment news rather than something that affects home energy upgrades directly. But it's a sign of how far battery power has spread into heavy-duty jobs once considered strictly diesel territory, including outdoor work in rain, cold, and dust, conditions where electric equipment has reportedly held up well against diesel. For homeowners, there's no direct action here, just a glimpse of electrification pushing into bigger and tougher machines.